The drop in independent restaurants was concentrated in the full service segment, which includes casual dining, midscale/family dining, and fine dining. Full service independent units were down 3 percent while quick service independent units remained stable.
The overall decline in restaurant counts is a reflection of the stalled traffic growth experienced by the foodservice industry over the past several years. Independent traffic, quick service hamburger, and full service restaurant visit declines, particularly at midscale/family dining restaurants, are contributing to industry traffic not growing. Visits to total restaurants were flat in the year ending May 2015 compared to same period prior year, according to NPD’s ongoing foodservice market research, CREST®. Over a five year period, traffic has declined by 3 percent at quick service hamburger chain restaurants and at midscale/family dining restaurants (includes hotel midscale restaurants), respectively, and by 2 percent at independent restaurants. Quick service restaurants, which represent 79 percent of total industry traffic, were up 1 percent and casual dining restaurants were flat after several years of decline in the year ending May 2015 period compared to year ago.
“It’s a tough road for independent restaurants particularly in a down or even ‘soft’ economic climate,” said Greg Starzynski, director- product management, NPD Foodservice. “Independent operators do not have the resources of a chain to sustain themselves in slower times.”
posted by Andrea Gonzalez 8/3/15
